New Super Mario Bros. U

New Super Mario Bros. U[lower-alpha 1] is a 2.5D side-scrolling platform video game developed and published in 2012 by Nintendo as a launch game for the Wii U. It is the fourth in the New Super Mario Bros. series.[1] It is a sequel to New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009) and a follow-up to New Super Mario Bros. 2 (2012). As part of the Year of Luigi campaign, a downloadable expansion to the game, New Super Luigi U, was released in June 2013.[2] A standalone retail version was released the following month and later copies of the base game included the expansion on disc.[3]

New Super Mario Bros. U
Packaging artwork
Developer(s)Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)Nintendo (Worldwide)
Tencent Games (China, Deluxe only)
Director(s)Masataka Takemoto
Producer(s)
Designer(s)
  • Shigeyuki Asuke
  • Daiki Iwamoto
  • Ryutaro Kanno
Artist(s)Masanobu Sato
Composer(s)
SeriesSuper Mario
Platform(s)Wii U
Nintendo Switch
ReleaseWii U
  • NA: November 18, 2012
  • PAL: November 30, 2012
  • JP: December 8, 2012
Nintendo Switch
  • WW: January 11, 2019
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

The game received positive reviews and is one of the best-selling games on the Wii U. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is an enhanced version for the Nintendo Switch, released on January 11, 2019.

Gameplay
Players can use the Wii U GamePad's stylus to add platforms and stun enemies on the main screen.

New Super Mario Bros. U iterates on the gameplay featured in New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The objective of each level is to reach the goal flag at the end of each level while avoiding enemies and hazards.

The game can be controlled either using Wii U Pro Controllers, Wii Remotes, or on the Wii U GamePad which allows for Off-TV Play, where the game can be played solely on the GamePad's screen.[4][5]

Up to five players can play simultaneously. In multiplayer mode, the player using the Wii U GamePad cannot control a character, but instead can interact with the environment, such as putting blocks down that can aid Mario or stunning enemies. As such, in multiplayer mode, there must be an equal number of controllers, excluding the GamePad, to the desired number of on-screen characters.

Certain game modes also allow players to play Mii characters saved on their console. New to this release is an asymmetric multiplayer experience called Boost Mode. In this mode, the player with the GamePad can aid other players by using the touchscreen to place blocks on the screen or stun enemies. This can be used to assist amateur players and to allow expert players to perform speed runs.[6] [7] The Koopalings, Bowser, Kamek, Boom Boom, and Bowser Jr. appear as the game's main villains.

Along with returning elements such as Ice Flowers and Yoshis, new power-ups are introduced, such as a flying squirrel suit that allows players to glide across long distances or slowly descend down vertical paths[6] and cling to the side of the walls.[8] Baby Yoshis can be carried by a player. Each baby Yoshi has a special ability based on its color, such as inflating in midair, blowing bubbles to attack enemies, and illuminating dark areas.[7] Some older power-ups also have new abilities such as the Mini Mushroom now allowing players to run up walls.[9]

Unlike the previous New Super Mario Bros. games, which have separate maps for each of the games' worlds, New Super Mario Bros. U features one large map containing all the game's worlds and levels, similar to that of Super Mario World. Some levels have multiple exits that lead to the different areas on the map.[10] The Super Guide, which takes control of the player's character and moves it automatically through a level, is available in case the player has failed a level many times.

Nabbit is a new antagonist who is chased after stealing a power-up from Toad. Once Nabbit is caught, Toad rewards the item to the player.

The game features two new modes of play, Challenge Mode and Boost Rush. Challenge Mode adds unique challenges, such as clearing levels quickly or earning as many 1-UPs in a row as possible without touching the ground. The Coin Battles from New Super Mario Bros. Wii also return and this time, the player can customize the battles with the GamePad to place the coins and Star Coins on the course.

Boost Rush takes place on an automatically scrolling level which increases in speed as players collect coins, with the goal to clear the stage as quickly as possible.[9] The game originally utilized the now defunct Miiverse, which allowed players to share comments about particular levels with one another.[8] [11]

Plot

Princess Peach is held captive in her castle by Bowser, Bowser Jr., and the Koopalings who invade and use a giant mechanical arm to throw Mario, Luigi, and two Toads far away. Mario and friends must now travel across this new land returning to Peach's castle in order to save her. On the way, they encounter seven Koopalings each controlling their own worlds, plus Kamek, Nabbit, Bowser Jr., and many minor monsters like Goomba. By conquering them, they get closer to Peach's castle, which has been transformed into an evil reflection of Bowser. By defeating Bowser, the castle returns to normal. As the heroes celebrate, Bowser Jr. and the Koopalings attempt to escape, almost leaving Bowser behind. He manages to jump up onto the airship, but his weight causes it to crash, and they are forced to flee on Bowser Jr.'s Koopa Clown Car.

Development

Development of New Super Mario Bros. U started shortly after the release of New Super Mario Bros. Wii and spanned three years.[12] The game's soundtrack was composed by Shiho Fujii and Mahito Yokota, with series regular Koji Kondo serving as the sound advisor.

The game, initially titled New Super Mario Bros. Mii, was first revealed at E3 2011 as one of several tech demos demonstrating the capabilities of Wii U. The demo's visual style duplicated New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but featured high-definition graphics, and Mii characters were notably featured as playable characters alongside Mario and Luigi.[13] Shigeru Miyamoto later announced that the Mario demo was going to be released as a full game for the system, and would be demonstrated in its revised form at E3 2012.[14] The new game, titled New Super Mario Bros. U, was revealed at the event and was announced to be released alongside the Wii U console.[1][15]

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a re-release for Switch, announced in the Nintendo Direct from September 13, 2018 and released on January 11, 2019. It bundles New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U, upgraded to 1080p instead of 720p.[16][17] Nabbit is now fully playable, and Toadette is introduced. Boost Mode was removed.

Reception
New Super Mario Bros. U (and Deluxe)
Review scores
PublicationScore
NSWii U
1Up.comN/AB+[18]
4Players83/100[19]85/100[20]
AllGameN/A[21]
DestructoidN/A8.5/10[22]
EdgeN/A8/10[23]
EGM[24]9/10[25]
EurogamerN/A9/10 (Recommended)[26]
FamitsuN/A36/40[27]
G4N/A3.5/5[28]
Game Informer8.5/10[29]9.25/10[30]
GameRevolutionN/A4/5[31]
GamesMasterN/A82%[32]
GameSpot7/10[33]8.5/10[34]
GamesRadar+[35][36]
GamesTMN/A8/10[37]
GameTrailersN/A8.4/10[38]
Giant BombN/A[39]
Hardcore GamerN/A4.5/5[40]
HyperN/A90/100[41]
IGN8/10[42]9.1/10[43]
Jeuxvideo.com15/20[44]N/A
JoystiqN/A[45]
Nintendo Life[46][47]
Nintendo PowerN/A8/10[48]
Nintendo World Report8/10[49]9.5/10[50]
ONMN/A86%[51]
PolygonRecommended[52]8.5/10[53]
Shacknews8/10[54]N/A
The Guardian[55][56]
VentureBeat75/100[57]83/100[58]
VideoGamer.comN/A8/10[59]
Aggregate score
Metacritic80/100[60]84/100[61]

New Super Mario Bros. U was positively received by critics. GamesMaster magazine called it "a great excuse for families to gather round the TV, and an enticing glimpse of Mario's HD future".[32] IGN stated that "Nintendo's approach here strikes a great balance in all areas, ranging from its difficulty to design to enemies and bosses".[43] Joystiq commented "There's a sense of wonder again, of exploration and discovery. I'm not quite prepared to say New Super Mario Bros. U fully recaptures the spark of Mario's 2D heyday, but it's an impressive step in the right direction".[45] Game Informer considers it the best game in the New Super Mario Bros. series, saying it has "Some of the most creative NSMB levels Nintendo has created".[30] GameSpot observes "It's a challenging platformer, an excellent recreation of Mario's best moments, and it's the perfect way to kick-off Nintendo's journey into HD."[34] SupeReal Media gave the game an 'A' Grade, praising the versatility, and stating that Mario has never looked so good.[62]

Giant Bomb was slightly more critical, noting "Everything about New Super Mario Bros. U is pretty exciting, except the game itself. Is it possible that this is the best game in the 'New' series to date--not to mention one of the best exclusive Wii U games on the market, by default—and at the same time kind of flatly uninteresting? Apparently so. The game is perfectly well made for what it is, and I had plenty of fun playing it in short bursts here and there, but at this point the series' by-the-numbers design philosophy is starting to lend the name 'New Super Mario Bros.' a degree of unintentional irony".[39] At the 10th Annual Spike Video Game Awards on Spike, New Super Mario Bros. U won "Best Wii/Wii U Game".

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe also received positive reviews, with a score of 80, according to Metacritic.[60]

Sales

As of March 31, 2020, New Super Mario Bros. U has worldwide sales of 5.80 million.[63]

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe yielded sales of 455,006 physical copies within its first month on sale in Japan, outperforming its Wii U counterpart.[64] As of December 2019 more than 747,589 physical copies have been sold in Japan.[65] Deluxe also debuted at the top of the charts in the United Kingdom, with 56% more units in its first week than when the Wii U version launched, and remained the UK's best-selling game in its second week on sale.[66][67] As of June 2020, 7.44 million copies of Deluxe have been sold worldwide.[68]

Awards
Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result
2012 Spike Video Game Awards Best Wii/Wii U Game Shigeru Miyamoto Won
NintendoLife Wii U Retail Game of 2012 N/A Won[69]
Vooks.net Game of the Year Won[70]
IGN's Best of 2012 Best Wii U/Wii Game Nominated
Best Wii U/Wii Multiplayer Game Nominated

Notes
  1. Japanese: New スーパーマリオブラザーズ U Hepburn: Nyū Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Yū
gollark: Nope.
gollark: ↑ directly from the GTech™ memetic hazard assemblers
gollark: Correct.
gollark: ↑ zero
gollark: ⁡

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